Good afternoon, everyone.
I am happy to be here with you today on behalf of Les Producteurs de lait du Québec. Thank you for the opportunity to share our point of view on the Canada-United Kingdom trade agreement negotiations.
I am joined by François Dumontier, director, Communications, Public Affairs and Trade Union Life, at Les Producteurs de lait du Québec.
The Producteurs de lait du Québec organization is affiliated with the Union des producteurs agricoles. In Quebec, 4,877 dairy farms deliver nearly 3.33 billion litres of milk, the farm gate sales of which total more than $2.7 billion.
In Quebec, dairy production generates 83,000 direct and indirect jobs, which contribute to fiscal benefits of $1.3 billion. That accounts for nearly 50% of dairy farms in Canada. Quebec alone generates more than 58,000 direct and indirect jobs. It is ahead of a number of sectors, including aerospace, mining and electric energy.
Nationally, Les Producteurs de lait du Québec account for 37% of Canada's dairy production. We are a leader in dairy processing in Canada: nearly 77% of yogurt produced across the country is processed in Quebec, as is the case for 52% of all cheeses. We produce nearly 65% of fine cheeses, which we offer in some 400 varieties. We also set ourselves apart through organic production that represents nearly 42% of Quebec's dairy production. Note that the fine cheese we produce is considered a niche product.
Since 2002, cottage industries have set up in a number of regions, and their development has accelerated. Their number has increased from 34 to 53.